


Exterminate [Rewriting]

by zekewastaken



Category: (여자)아이들 | (G)I-DLE
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Blood and Violence, Developing Relationship, Dubious Morality, F/F, Other, Partners in Crime, Police Officer Minnie Nicha Yontararak, Very Slow to Update, Vigilante Song Yuqi, WARNING: Tall & OOC Yuqi up ahead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23092573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zekewastaken/pseuds/zekewastaken
Summary: “If you’re wondering, no. I’m not the man behind all this. Unlike me, he’d have you dead already.”Minnie’s breath hitched as fear flashed in her eyes.“And I won’t let that happen to you.”A criminal is on the rise with recent kidnappings, and police officer Kim Minnie forms an unlikely partnership with a masked vigilante who needs help cleaning out the rats in their city.ORThe AU that nobody asked for.**Rewriting as of 10/09/2020.
Relationships: Song Yuqi/Minnie Nicha Yontararak
Comments: 18
Kudos: 43





	1. Unfortunate Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t be so stubborn, sweetheart.”
> 
> The nickname made her cringe. She loathed, hated the way it rolled off their tongue. It was disgusting.
> 
> “You’re lucky I’m keeping them alive. Had I been in a bad mood, then your friends wouldn’t be breathing at the moment. Take it as a… generous consideration, hm?”

* * *

**Time: 7:42:05 PM**

**Namsan Mountain Park, Jung-gu; Seoul, South Korea**

* * *

It was supposed to be an easy task.

Find the address given, follow the directions, locate the missing people so they could be safely escorted back to the station, and (if possible) identify the anonymous caller. If suspected, the team would take them in for interrogation. That was the plan.

Unfortunately, everything went downhill from the moment they stepped into the old, dingy warehouse.

“For a group of trained officers, you all can’t seem to take down a single target.”

The rough, tenor voice spoke out coolly. Sounding almost apathetic to the pitiful sight before them—three officers sprawled across the cemented floor and bleeding out from their injuries. Their once unblemished, fair skins now littered with multiple cuts and bruises that scarred and colored their bodies. The fourth one was kept tethered to a nearby beam, where she watched the scene unfold with reddened eyes full of tears.

“What a shame.”

The unknown figure took a step towards the officer closest to them and examined her beaten form desperately trying to lift itself up with trembling arms. By the looks of it, she seemed like the youngest of the bunch. She also had the palest, most immaculate complexion of them all (what’s her skin care routine?) and, perhaps, they felt a little bad for ruining such a pretty face. But, business is business and she just so happened to trigger the wrong person tonight.

“I honestly expected more from you.”

A couple feet away from them, another officer was also struggling to get up from where she fell after being slammed head-first into a fuse box just minutes ago by the very same person who loomed before her colleague. Staring down at the poor girl while she clawed at the floor, groaning in a mix of pain and frustration before giving out completely.

It was _supposed_ to be an easy task.

This person, whoever they are, took down four armed cops after luring them into an abandoned warehouse nestled deep into the forest. They baited the team through calling them about their recent “discovery”—claiming that they’ve found all 14 victims in this very location, tied-up and gagged to silence. South Korea has been on red alert since the start of these kidnappings, with the recent one being a Chinese family of six who were last seen exploring the streets of Busan.

Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Of course, having a possible lead to the disappearances in this 6-month long investigation was enough to set aside their apprehensions and doubts in order to finally crack the case. Or at least, advance their currently stagnant process that often brought them to dead or loose ends.

_Fools._

How careless of them to underestimate the cunning prowess of this peculiar stranger.

It was too fast. Too clean and precise. Meticulous planning based on clever wit and careful thought. If it weren’t for the situation right now, Minnie would admit she’s impressed. They picked each one of them out by secluding them in four separate corners. Being alone meant being more susceptible to ambush, since no one’s there to guard your back.

Yeh Shuhua was first.

The girl is one of the top officers in the department and performed well in close-quarter combat because of her impressive speed and flexibility as a former gymnast. Slippery as a snake, her kicks are also powerful enough to break limbs with the right amount of momentum. However, her weakness lied on her poor senses and difficulty to read her surroundings.

It didn’t take long for her to be taken out with an iron pipe from behind.

Next came Jeon Soyeon.

A fierce woman radiating a charismatic, no-nonsense aura that intimidated even her superiors. Her sharp eyes allowed her to see even the smallest glimpse of movement in her peripherals, which made her develop quick reflexes that are vital to timed sequences. That said, she’s the deadliest when wielding a gun. The leader and sharpshooter of the team who never misses a target.

Oh, how embarrassing it must’ve been for her to have the weapon knocked out of her hands before she could even pull the trigger. They easily moved the game to their favor by cutting off the lights for a few seconds. Just enough to approach her from the side while holding a night-vision camera.

Soyeon barely registered the sting in her head as it met with the rusty fuse box cutting her forehead open.

Then, it was Shin Ryujin. One of the newbies from last year’s recruitment batch who was climbing up the ranks due to her physical capabilities and smooth coordination. A fist-fighter who excels in hand-to-hand combat because of her brute strength and incredible stamina, but suffers from an ankle injury that might never be fully recovered. Making her movements slow and, in certain cases, sluggish.

The bastard somehow knew of this and swiped at her feet with their leg, knocking her to ground where they promptly slammed the heel of their boot down on the exact spot. The ear-piercing scream that shortly followed sent a cold shiver down Minnie’s spine, even as it replayed in her mind like a cursed record. No doubt, her injury has gotten worse.

Finally, it was _her._ Kim Minnie.

The lowest ranker in the team, yet showing the most potential as of recently. She’s mainly on the average spectrum whenever it comes to their overall skills and abilities, but she’s a master with the knives and daggers. Unlike Soyeon who relied on her guns; or Ryujin who preferred using her fists, she fancied the lightness and maneuverability of these bladed weapons. Swift, sharp, and deadly. One swipe and it’s a clean-cut to the throat.

They quickly overpowered her. Rendering Minnie defenseless by grappling her wrists together with some rope and yanking her arms back painfully, making her drop the knife and only means of protecting herself. Incapacitated, Minnie was left bound to a metal beam and watched helplessly as they battered her entire team to near-death.

Minnie isn’t the type to bring her gun around, but now she wished that she did.

The stranger turned their focus towards her with those dark, nearly soulless eyes boring into hers from behind the dragon-esque mask covering their face. Its glossy, jade-green surface shone brightly under the fluorescent lights hanging above them, casting a looming shadow over her that grew with each ominous step in her direction.

She felt her heart pounding loudly against her ribcage.

A hand suddenly latched onto the stranger’s leg, forcing them to stop and look down. Soyeon was barely conscious. Blood caking the side of her head and matting her luxurious, cream-colored hair with sickening maroon crusts, which had dried over one eye and temporarily shut it close. Even so, her other eye burned with seething determination and rage that issued a warning threat to the masked figure staring at her.

“Don’t you dare touch her…” Soyeon snarled, her fingernails digging into the black denim of their pants.

The stranger let out a low chuckle. Amused, yet cold and menacing. They calmly pulled their leg away from her faltering grasp before raising the iron pipe in hand that glistened with fresh blood (was it Ryujin’s? Shuhua’s? Both? Minnie couldn’t tell anymore).

Her eyes widened in terror. “No!”

A couple beats later, a gut-lurching crack was heard as the pipe connected with Soyeon’s jaw. Dislocating it and knocking the blonde out cold alongside Shuhua and Ryujin. The latter of whom had been taken out of her misery by having the butt of their pipe rammed against her head.

(Okay, that obviously isn’t a good thing. But it’s better than hearing her anguished cries.)

With that interruption gone, the stranger approached her and slowly knelt down to level their gazes. Minnie glared them, forcing herself to maintain eye-contact despite the creepy dragon mask facing her. Baring its fangs like a predator about to pounce on its prey. It made the hairs on her neck stand on end.

“You sick fuck…!” She screamed as tears spilled from her eyes, overwhelmed with the grief of seeing her colleagues—her friends—lying unconsciously before her. Drenched in their blood that had formed little pools around them. Her heart wrenched at the cruelty of this sadist’s actions.

“Now, now. No need for such foul language.” The stranger teased, exuding an air of nonchalance while gently holding Minnie’s chin in their free hand. She tried to move away, but their gloved fingers kept her firmly in place. Their dark eyes never once leaving hers.

“Don’t be so stubborn, sweetheart.”

The nickname made her cringe. She loathed, _hated_ the way it rolled off their tongue. It was disgusting. “You’re lucky I’m keeping them alive. Had I been in a bad mood, then your friends wouldn’t be breathing at the moment. Take it as a… generous consideration, hm?”

Minnie gulped anxiously as her lower lip trembled. “… W-What about me?”

No response, so she tried again. Loud and firm.

“What are you going to do with me?”

The stranger tilted their head, squinting at her curiously. The pin-drop silence was eating her up, and she sure as _Hell_ didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“Frankly, I could just ditch you.” They shrugged. “The authorities would be coming in a bit, and I’ll be long gone by the time they arrive.” Beneath the shadows of their mask, she could see their eyes curving into crescents. Shit, the bastard is _smiling._ It made her stomach churn at their next words.

“But that’s not how you treat a beautiful lady.” They softly cooed.

Ah, great. She’s _fucked._

“I’d be damned if I left you alone here for some other sicko to stumble upon. Quite unlikely given the location, but you can never be too sure now that people are going missing these days.”

At least they realize that they’re crazy. Minnie would rather prefer a somewhat self-aware lunatic over a mindlessly-impulsive psychopath.

_Geez, what am I saying? This headache is killing me…_

A phantom of a question lingered in the back of her mind, and the stranger seemed to acknowledge it. “If you’re wondering, no. I’m not the man behind all this. Unlike me, he’d have you dead already.”

Minnie’s breath hitched as fear flashed in her eyes.

“And I won’t let that happen to you.”

With their point across, they reached into the inside of their jacket and pulled out a wrinkled handkerchief. The sweet, almost chemical-like smell wafting from it raised every goddamn alarm bell in her head. _Chloroform._

“This won’t hurt, sweetheart. I promise.”

Minnie whimpered. “N-No… wait—”

Before she could voice out her protest, the cloth was placed over her face and the sedative began kicking in. She squirmed in a futile attempt to get it off her, but the stranger grabbed her head and pressed on it more. It took effect just a couple minutes later, and Minnie could barely keep her eyes open by the time they removed it. Her consciousness flickering like a lightbulb about to go off at any second.

“Rest up. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Their voice sounded garbled and distant, and the details of their mask became vague and murky.

As her body slumped sideways, the last thing she felt was a hand cradling the side of her face gently. Keeping her head away from meeting the cold, hard metal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, I wrote this under the influence of two, double-shot espressos at 1am.  
> Don't you just love hearing that your classes are suspended on the night before a major presentation? :')


	2. The Masked Menace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I… He went missing more than a week ago…” The realization hit her like a freight train, and her eyes widened in shock. “It was you who…”
> 
> “I didn’t have a choice, sweetheart. He was going to kill me first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haven't proofread it yet, so excuse any spelling or grammatical errors and repetitions. Might edit later in the morning.

* * *

**Time: 8:14:30 AM**

**[Location Unknown]; Seoul, South Korea**

* * *

With a groan escaping her lips, Minnie slowly gained back her consciousness and blinked away the remainder of sleep in her tired eyes. When she got to her senses, she realized that she was kept inside what seems to be a cabin room. Lying down on a lumpy bed with a brown, wool blanket covering her body.

Judging by the state of the walls and the horrendous amount of chipped paint curling over and forming ugly cracks along them, they had to be at least a decade old. And from the looks of it, the place could use a couple of repairs—or maybe even a full renovation since the ceiling appeared like it’s going to cave in on her at the slightest provocation. Not the best thing to wake up to on this fine morning.

Actually, no. It didn’t even feel like a _“good morning”._

God, _why_ does her head hurt?

A sudden flashback of last night’s events made her blood run cold. The bastard drugged her! They fucking drugged her!

“That nasty piece of—wait!”

With a newfound fear coursing through her veins, she hesitantly lifted the covers off her body—only to let out a huge sigh of relief at the sight of her uniform still intact. The buttons were untouched, and even her chest harness remained in place. Her soiled shirt had certainly seen better days, but it was thankfully kept on despite its condition.

_Phew._

She’d much rather die a virgin, after all.

Minnie faintly recalled being carried away in someone’s arms, her vision fading in and out of existence as they carefully strapped her to a seat. Not much happened after that aside from being laid down on a mattress before getting tucked in under a thick blanket.

_I need to get out of here._

Just as she moved to hop off the bed, she was abruptly pulled back by something shackled around her wrist. Confused, Minnie turned to see what it is and almost cursed out in frustration. The Bastard (yes, she’s capitalizing it now for emphasis) chained her to the bedpost with her own handcuffs!

“Seriously?!” She yelled.

Right on cue, the door to her room suddenly opened as a tall figure stepped inside. Minnie held her breath.

Speak of the Devil, it’s _them._

“Oh, good. You’re finally awake.” That familiar tenor voice wasn’t hard to catch. Almost as deep as the first time, but sounding a bit smoother. “Hello again, my sweetheart.”

The face that greeted her isn’t the terrifying jade dragon from the night before, but instead a cute girl sporting doll-like eyes and a gorgeous set of silky, black hair that cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves. A definite far cry from the chilling persona who had single-handedly taken down four officers in less than an hour.

The duality almost gave her whiplash.

_This can’t be the same person!_

“You were pretty knocked out the last time I checked. For a moment there, I was worried you wouldn’t wake up.” The Bas—the _girl_ rather—joked lightly. As if the very idea of Minnie dying in her sleep didn’t unnerve her in the slightest.

And what’s with the nickname?!

“Where am I?” Minnie demanded, tugging at her stupid cuffs like it’s going to accomplish anything. Her useless attempts made the girl chuckle, and she walked over to seat herself at the rickety armchair across the bed.

Boy, does Minnie want to call her a capital-B Bastard. But that baby face is making it infuriatingly difficult to insult her.

Bitch? Too overused. Slut? Not in this context.

She should definitely expand on her vocabulary more.

“Calm down, sweetheart. I don’t want you hurting yourself.” The girl crooned with her pink lips curling into a smirk. If it weren’t for these infernal chains, Minnie would’ve smacked her adorable head. “To answer your question, we’re in an old cabin not too far from the mountain park. No one lives here now, so I’ve been using it as a safehouse for the meantime.”

“Now?” She scoffed dryly. “What? Did you kill the previous owner or something?”

It was a sarcastic question, yet the girl seemed to have taken it seriously when her smile only widened. Minnie felt her heart drop and shivered at the clear message behind it.

“God, please tell me you didn’t…”

The girl burst into laughter, her hand flying up to cover her face as her boisterous chortles echoed through the room.

“Oh, sweetheart!” She wheezed. “You should’ve seen your face! I’ve never seen one looked so disturbed before! Ah, I wish I brought my phone with me! That was too good!”

Minnie was stunned.

“But, to clarify, no. It was already abandoned by the time I found it.”

Wiping her tears away, she leaned forward to properly look at the dumbfounded cop. Her head resting lazily on one hand and that _annoying_ smirk still plastered on her round face. “Sorry ‘bout that. Silly ol’ me likes scaring people for shits and giggles~”

The girl purred in a such way that had Minnie’s head throbbing for a whole different reason. She better not try to get slick and suave with her.

“I’m not in the mood for this bullshit.” She deadpanned. “You better start talking, or so help me God if I have to strangle you once I get out of these damn things!”

Minnie sharply pulled at the cuffs with her free hand to accentuate her point—only to wince at the sharp jolt that came from yanking it too hard. _Idiot._

“You okay, sweetheart?”

The cop groaned. _Jesus, not this again!_

“I know I shouldn’t be giving a possible murderer my name, but keep calling me that and you’ll find a knife against your throat in a matter of seconds.” She hissed threateningly. Not that it even scared the other girl. “It’s Minnie, by the way.”

“Like the mouse?” Her eyes sparkled in amusement.

Minnie rolled her eyes. She’s heard this a thousand times and it’s honestly getting quite old. “Yes, like the mouse. The pink one. Mickey’s girlfriend, yada yada yada.” She sighed. “Could you please let me go? My wrist is aching.”

“It wouldn’t be if you didn’t make a fuss about it earlier.” As easy as that, the girl dug into her pocket and fished out a small key before calmly walking over to remove the handcuffs _._

_Strange,_ Minnie thought while rubbing her sore wrist. _She doesn’t seem too concerned about me attacking her or running away. What if it’s a trap to lower my guard?_

“Thanks…”

The girl shrugged while flashing her a bright smile. “I’m Yuqi, but you can call me Mickey to your Minnie~” She threw in a greasy wink to add to Human Minnie’s growing repulsion at the terrible pick-up line. Scratch that, this Yuqi girl is by no means intimidating. Especially if she’s throwing these lousy remarks around!

“I’ll just stick to Yuqi.”

“Fair.”

Yuqi then moved to the window and pushed aside the torn curtains for the sunlight to seep in through the stained glass, basking the room in a warm glow. It also gave Minnie an ample view of her towering form. She’s… unnaturally tall. In fact, taller than the average Korean woman standing at around five-foot-four. By her estimation, Yuqi could be at _least_ five-foot-nine and a half!

_What is she even taking, Cherifer?! Tangkad sagad?!_

If her deep voice wasn’t deceiving enough, her ridiculously imposing height made her youthful face all the more uncharacteristic!

Oblivious to the cop’s silent perplexity, Yuqi returned to her previous spot and casually leaned back into the armchair. Her shoulders relaxing as she threaded her fingers together on her lap.

“How about you, sweetheart?” She asked out of the blue. Did the threat not process in her brain, or is she selectively ignoring it? “If you don’t want me to call you that, what else is there to use? Nini? Little Mouse? Mousey?”

“Can’t you just use my actual name?”

“Nah, too boring. Gotta keep our dynamic fun, y’know?”

Minnie could tell that Yuqi was teasing her. With her hands free, she can finally punch that godawful smirk off her face.

And she would’ve done exactly that—had it not been for the mischievous glint in Yuqi’s eyes warning the cop not to dare challenge her. It’s hard to explain, but… something about _that_ look told Minnie she wouldn’t stand a chance fighting her, with or without her knife. Last night’s ordeal should serve as a painful reminder of what Yuqi is actually capable of.

_Just play along, Kim. You don’t want to get on her bad side._

“… Nevermind. ‘Sweetheart’ would suffice for now.” She reluctantly states, trying not to cringe at her own words. Is she really going to allow this? Begrudgingly, yes.

Probably worth it, though. Because Yuqi grinned ecstatically like she was being praised for something good. _As if._ “I knew you wouldn’t resist it~”

Minnie made a face. “You disgust me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Okay, real talk.” She sat up straight on the bed and fixed her gaze evenly with Yuqi’s. “Do you know anything about the missing people? Are you working for the bad guys?”

“Easy there. Let’s not assume things so quickly.” Yuqi did a “calm down” motion with her hands while smiling. Now that Minnie realized it, the girl never once dropped her smile—or shown any other natural emotion but happiness.

She grew uneasy at the thought. _Something isn’t right about her…_

But, the cop decided not to dwell on it. There are more pressing issues to be addressed.

“Firstly, yes. I have some evidences that should help with your investigation. Secondly, no. I’m also tryna catch the same rats y’all are after since they took something valuable from me.”

Minnie wasn’t entirely convinced yet. “You tricked us, ambushed us in the warehouse, nearly killed three of my friends—” She listed them off one-by-one with her fingers. “—and if that wasn’t enough, you drugged and kidnapped me so you hide me away in a cabin that’s probably miles away from the city! How am I supposed to trust you?!”

Yuqi was not at all perturbed by her livid expression. She looked pleased, excited even, that Minnie was testing her.

“I figured you’d react this way. I only did it because I needed help from a reliable and honest cop, and you just so happen to fit my criteria.”

Minnie’s right eye twitched. The Hell is _that_ supposed to mean?

“Maybe this will get you to listen.”

Yuqi reached into her back pocket. The idea of a hidden weapon alerted the cop’s senses and she braced herself for another attack. Her instincts flaring up to defend herself, only to see that the girl just pulled out an old polaroid photo. She slackened her posture and sighed again.

_Deep breaths, Minnie. You’re too tense._

However, seeing the image hanging in front of her almost made her lose her cool.

It was a disemboweled torso of a young woman (possibly in her early to mid-twenties) staring blankly at Minnie with bloodshot eyes and her mouth gaping open. Her deathly pale face was stained in a mix of tears and blood pouring out from her orifices as it pooled around her, and her intestines were scattered like fucking confetti ribbons that decorated her mangled corpse.

She instantly felt sick to the stomach.

“Holy shit…” Her frantic brown eyes flew back to the placid Yuqi. “H-How did you get this…?”

“It’s from one of the people you work with. Your ‘ _dear’_ colleagues, as a matter of fact. They’re the ones behind the kidnappings. Or should I say… _murder._ ”

The stress in her voice as she said the last part frightened Minnie. And yet, her smile remained.

“Hard to believe, I know. But I have solid proof that it’s them.” Yuqi took out another polaroid. This one showed a masked man tied up to a chair—and donning the very _same_ uniform Minnie is currently wearing.

“Does Officer Yook Sungjae sound familiar to you?”

A chill ran up her spine. This can’t be true.

“I… He went missing more than a week ago…” The realization hit her like a freight train, and her eyes widened in shock. “It was _you_ who…”

Yuqi’s Cheshire grin grew sinister at the light of her recent discovery. For once, Minnie feared that she might never leave this room alive.

“I didn’t have a choice, sweetheart. He was going to kill me first.”


	3. New Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You seriously need help, Yuqi. You’re freaking me out!”
> 
> “So, I’ve been told.” The girl said with a small, breathy laugh. How is she always so nonchalant? It was both intriguing and exasperating. “You’re not the first person to say that.”
> 
> “I wonder why.” Minnie spat irritably. “What exactly did these people take from you to start acting like a total screwball?”
> 
> The answer was simple. “My family.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is sponsored by Coffee Project. The cafe I threw myself in after the electricity went out in my village.  
> (Y'all know the drill by now. Excuse any errors, I'll edit them tomorrow.)

* * *

**Time: 9:02:57 AM**

**[Location Unknown]; Seoul, South Korea**

* * *

Minnie couldn’t believe it.

“I sorta happen to stumble with this guy. He’s a lot stronger than he looks and even took out a knife on me, so I had to— _shck!”_

Yuqi drew a straight line across her neck with her thumb. Gone was the adorable, yet cheekily flirtatious girl from earlier, and in her place stood an emotionally-unhinged lunatic with the urge to _kill._

All you have to do is pull the wrong trigger.

“Hey, don’t give me that look.” She waved her hand dismissively at the cop’s horrified face. “You should be thankful that I’m actually putting a stop to the infestation in your city.”

Her next actions only served to heighten Minnie’s fears as she reached forward to grasp her cheeks, carelessly dropping the polaroid photos in the process. Frightened browns met darkened ambers over equally dark eyebags. She wondered if Yuqi got a wink of sleep last night, or the nights prior for that matter.

“Don’t you see, Minnie?”

A feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach at the sudden absence of her pet name. This is the first time Yuqi has ever called her by her actual name, and yet—

It _scared_ her.

“This is why I need you to lure out the rats from the mice, or else they’ll kill you like the rest.” Yuqi continued, her voice dropping a pitch lower than normal. “Plunge a knife deep into your throat while letting you choke on your own blood… then break off each pretty limb of yours so they could scatter them around…”

Her fingers gradually dug into Minnie’s delicate skin, but not enough to break it. No, she would hate to have ruined such beautiful, fair skin with her own two hands. Yuqi needed to protect it, protect _her._ Keep her little mouse safe from the corruptive disease of these filthy rats.

“No one can ever find you again. And there wouldn’t be a proper burial in place because there isn’t a body to—”

_“Stop!”_

Minnie forced her head away as tears spilled from her eyes, visibly shaken up by those bone-chilling words that repeated themselves in her head. It was as if the Devil was there to whisper them in her ears, tormenting her of the cruel possibility awaiting her and so many other innocent people.

“Just stop! Please!” She was begging at this point and pathetically wiped her tear-streaked face with trembling hands. Fuck, why did she have to be such a crybaby? “I’ve heard enough…!”

Yuqi seemed to have gotten the hint and returned to her seat, humming to herself while waiting for Minnie to calm down.

“Sorry for making you upset, sweetheart. I find it hard to control myself sometimes.”

If she was trying to come across as apologetic, then she’s failing tremendously because she is in no way remorseful of what she did. Nor did she even look the slightest bit guilty for terrorizing the poor cop.

(At least her usual demeanor came back, though Minnie isn’t quite sure that it was a good thing.)

“Screw you…” She weakly sniffled, rubbing her eyes dry with her sleeve. “… Y-You’re out of your goddamn mind!”

“Yeah, I’m aware. Which is why I also need you to restrain me.”

When she finally got to her bearings, she glared at ever-so smiling Yuqi with red-rimmed eyes still raw from crying. “You seriously need help, Yuqi. You’re freaking me out!”

“So, I’ve been told.” The girl said with a small, breathy laugh. How is she always so nonchalant? It was both intriguing and exasperating. “You’re not the first person to say that.”

“I wonder why.” Minnie spat irritably. “What exactly did these people take from you to start acting like a total screwball?”

The answer was simple. “My family.”

Her heart dropped as she gawked at Yuqi, who didn’t _seem_ at all distressed that something so important to her is now gone. “I’m… sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be.” Came the soft, yet curt reply. “You couldn’t have stopped them either.”

The resulting silence made Minnie uncomfortable, which then prompted her to ask “Where’s Officer Yook?”

She regretted it from the moment it slipped her mouth. Because Yuqi pointed at an old wardrobe tucked away in the dusty corner of the room. “Right over there!” She chirped gleefully. “He was too big to fit inside, so I had to chop him up in itty-bitty pieces!”

A wave of nausea washed over the cop as her stomach churned at the obvious implication. She wanted to throw up.

“Chop, chop, chop, chop~” Yuqi sang behind her like a demented lullaby.

Minnie whirled around to fix her with a sharp glare. “Quit it, you fucking nutcase! You murdered him in cold blood and now you’re just gonna treat him like this?!”

Yuqi continued to smile.

Frustrated, Minnie let out a heavy sigh while running a hand through her messy bangs. Wiping off the sweat that formed on her forehead after the disturbing revelation. It felt like a lot has been uncovered in the past hour—and it’s not even noon!

“Before I get to the meat on the bone, I wanna ask a favor.”

She held back another groan. _Fan-fucking-tastic._ “Are you kidding me?”

Yuqi ignored her. “I need a place to stay and hide. This cabin isn’t as well-hidden as I thought since hikers have passed by recently.”

She walked to the side of the room and dug through a large duffel bag filled with unknown contents. Minnie caught a glimpse of her grabbing what appears to be a white envelope in her hand. A thick one, too.

“Sweetheart~” She crooned. Boy, did it take every ounce of her willpower not to throw the nearest pillow at Yuqi’s dumb head. “I have a little something in exchange for all my favors.”

Minnie took the _surprisingly_ heavy envelope and examined it cautiously before tearing the seal open. “This better not be a fing—” The words died on her tongue as her eyeballs nearly rolled out of their sockets.

_Eh?!_

She pulled out the bundle of 50k won bills and shoved them at Yuqi’s face. She’s absolutely losing her shit right now. “Where did you get this?!”

“From Officer Yook, the dirty rat who kidnaps and sells people.”

Yuqi winked at the speechless Minnie. “My plan was to simply take his bag when he wasn’t looking, but he noticed me easily and tried to kill me as soon as I got close. Emphasis on _tried.”_ Her crescent-shaped eyes didn’t seem friendly anymore. “Too bad for him.”

She went back to the duffle bag and gathered an array of other items in her arms. “I found photos of previous victims, money, a camera, sedatives, needles… and a request letter with an address written on it. Obviously, I had to find the place.”

She dumped them all onto the bed and faced Minnie once more. _God, please stop smiling._ “Turns out, they’re a lot more coo-coo than I am.”

The cop swallowed anxiously. She could see where this was going.

“He had business with an organization that profits off human trafficking supply chains, though they’re not necessarily exploiting them for forced labor or sex. In some instances, they harvest their organs and sell them at a high price on the Red Market. You never know how many countries are willing to pay good money for those. It’s even legal to buy a kidney in Iran!”

Yuqi jerked her thumb at the wardrobe where she hid Sungjae’s butchered remains. “Of course, Mr. Officer did the disposing of the bodies too.”

“T-That can’t be him!” Minnie cried out, distraught. Her mind was spiraling from all the information that she struggled to take in, to fully comprehend and accept because it’s just _so_ unbelievable. And yet, the proof is right there! In every bloody polaroid, in every banknote in her hands, the needles, the letter, everything!

“He’s—!”

“A nice man!” Yuqi interjects. “Loved by many, wouldn’t hurt a fly! A sweet-loving person who was everyone’s favorite! The funny one! The kindest! I can keep going, sweetheart!”

Her cheery tone dripped with venomous sarcasm as she stared down at Minnie, who shrunk under the intensity of her glare and the shit-eating grin that accompanied it.

“But these are the things they _want_ you to think of them. They act all nice to reel you in, and once you fall for it…”

A step forward urged another step backwards, and Minnie flinched when the back of her legs hit the edge of the bed. The vast difference between their heights further intimidated the much shorter cop as Yuqi loomed dangerously over her.

“Gotcha.”

She tapped Minnie’s nose with her finger and swiftly pulled away before she could swat it. “I’m willing to tutor you on self-defense so that you’d stand a fighting chance against those sickos.”

Her eye twitched. Okay, wow. _That_ hurt her pride a little.

“I’m not made of glass, Yuqi.” She scoffed, a bit offended by the remark. “I can fend for myself just fine.”

“Sure didn’t look like it last night.” Yuqi (the insufferable brat) countered with her trademark smirk. A blood vessel almost popped in Minnie’s head. _Godmotherfuckingdammit—_

“Don’t.” She warned. “I don’t need a refresher, thank you very much.”

Yuqi laughed. “Noted.”

With another sigh, Minnie folded her arms across her chest and looked at the girl pointedly. “Also, I didn’t say that I’ll be working with you. We’re not leaving until you convince me that you’re really not one of them and that everything else you said is true.”

That certainly wasn’t the answer Yuqi wanted to hear, because her smile tightened as she clenched her jaw. Sucking in a harsh breath, Minnie squared her shoulders and braced herself for the worst. An outburst, maybe.

It never came.

Instead, Yuqi relaxed her tense muscles before clicking her tongue playfully. “Annoying.”

She then produced a beaten-up camcorder out of nowhere and shoved it into the cop’s hands, prompting Minnie to drop the envelope full of cash as she fumbled with the device.

“Perhaps you want my family to tell it to you, _Officer Kim.”_ She says mockingly. “Hurry, take a look.”

Minnie flitted her eyes between Yuqi and the camcorder, feeling apprehensive of what they’re about to show her. “Listen, you’re posing an unstable mentality and a threat in your behavior. You can’t expect me to trust a stranger like that into the public. More or less, my friends and family.”

Yuqi just waved off her concern. “I know, I know. I may seem like a bitch twisted in the noggin’, but those videos will show you the kind of people we’re up against. And maybe you’ll see me as the lesser of two evils.”

She glanced at the Yuqi one last time before turning her attention to the device. It was already switched on and opened to a folder containing two video files. Both of them at least a couple hours apart, though the second one appeared to be significantly shorter in run-time compared to the first. She started chronologically.

_“This is my big energy ball, Yuqi! Sweetie, say hi to the camera!”_

A beautiful woman in her late-thirties greeted Minnie as she held the camcorder far enough to show her standing beside the very same person she’s currently with—except the Yuqi who’s waving enthusiastically at her looked far different from the Yuqi in front of her now.

It was like she was staring at a younger, much healthier version of the girl (physically and mentally speaking). Her hair was dyed a flaming, copper shade that glowed like embers in the afternoon sun, and her cute, bare face had rounder cheeks that were full of youth and color. For once, her toothy smile was genuine.

“This is you?!” Minnie gasped in incredulity. “I can recognize your voice, but holy shit!”

“I was cute before and still cute now~” Yuqi grinned as she poked her own cheek.

_But, what happened to her?_

_“Ayo, whassup! I’m mom’s favorite energy ball!”_ Came Yuqi’s overly zealous voice blasting through the speakers in a wave of confidence. Unconsciously, Minnie’s lips curved into a half-smile. She could tell by the lively aura that this Yuqi is a dork, but also a troublemaker at heart.

_“Song Yuqi! You know I don’t play favorites!”_ The woman lightly chastised while flicking her forehead, causing her to whine.

_“Auck! Mooooom~!”_

_“Yo, yo yo! Where’s the birthday girl at?!”_ A baritone voice rang out from the side, and the camera panned to a muscular man jogging over with two other guys and a girl tagging along behind him.

_“Happy birthday, lil’ sis!”_ Shouted the boy with cat eyes as he wrapped Yuqi in an affectionate head-lock.

_“You’re growing up so fast!”_ The tallest boy sporting pink-colored hair said wistfully, wiping away an imaginary tear.

_“Yeah, she’s not a kid anymore.”_ The doll-faced girl added with a sniff.

The boy from earlier blanched at them. _“What do you mean? She still wouldn’t let go of that giraffe toy—ow!”_

_“Zip it, Lucas. Or I’m hiding all your precious rings.”_

The four siblings laughed at his expense while he pouted, just as another man inserted himself into the scene and wrapped an arm around their mother. Strikingly handsome and equal parts happy.

_“Best dad Yixing coming through! Let me show you my amazing family!”_ Shuffling could be heard as the camera was passed to him, and he disappeared from the frame in order to capture the moment.

_“This is my lovely wife, Victoria!”_ He gestured at the woman smiling at him adoringly. _“Happy wife, happy life! So, so lucky to have married her!”_

He then focused on the rowdy siblings as they smothered Yuqi (who was whining again) in a group hug and waved at the camera. _“These are my babies! Lucas, Kris, Yanan, Vivi, and our dear Yuqi! My wonderful bundles of joy!”_

Watching them and their silly antics together warmed her heart, and Minnie couldn’t resist smiling at the wholesomeness of the video. It felt so pure, so raw and authentic, the love they had towards each other as a family.

Once the video ended with them gathering for a picnic, she glanced up and found Yuqi staring at the device longingly. The girl couldn’t see what was going on, but she heard everything loud and clear. Even with that blasted smile on her face, Minnie saw the grief behind those vulnerable, dark ambers swimming in a vast sea of emotions. Pain, sorrow, and anger were the most prominent.

It’s the first time she’s seen this side of Yuqi—and she didn’t know how to feel about it.

“I actually wouldn’t have recognized myself or my family, if it weren’t for that camcorder.” Yuqi began to speak, soft and tentative. “You see, I lost a good chunk of my memory when I woke up. I think it was on the night of that same day, but I had zero recollection of what happened before then. The second one filled in the blanks for me.”

The vague undertone put Minnie in a state of unease. “What’s in the second video?”

Yuqi gave her a strained smile. “See for yourself.”


	4. Deal with the Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You witnessed your entire family getting killed, yet you’re still smiling and pretending like nothing happened!”
> 
> Yuqi tilted her head at the cop’s obvious frustration, but nonchalantly shrugged as if it didn’t concern her.
> 
> “I’m just holding it all back, y’know? I am aware of many emotions, but I don’t know how they exactly feel—or maybe a part of me does.” Her eyes gleamed mischievously.
> 
> “Would you rather have me down in the dumps instead of being happy? To bring out the rage I’ve been bottling up with a smile?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This chapter is a fucking mess and it's gonna flop. I'm sorry in advance :')  
> (also, idk how temporary amnesia(?) works. i read about the four types, but it's not a major point in the story.)

* * *

**Time: 9:33:16 AM**

**[Location Unknown]; Seoul, South Korea**

* * *

Fuck.

She shouldn’t have listened to Yuqi. She shouldn’t have played the damn video.

Because the guttural screams followed by grisly images would haunt her for nights to come. Its horrific, dreadful sounds emanating like wretched souls crying out in agony as they desperately tried to claw their way out of Hell, tortured by the demons disguised as police.

The very people who _sworn_ to protect the city under oath and badge.

_“Stay away from her!”_

_“Yanan, stop!”_

_“Don’t touch him! Please!”_

_“Aurgh! Ack!”_

_“Kris, get Lucas!”_

_“No, no—! Nrrhng!”_

_“Vivi!”_

And the blood... God, there was so much blood _everywhere…_

_“I’ll take the girl. You take care of that piece of shit.”_ Said a rough voice from the side, just as a large hand came into view and grabbed Yuqi by her wrist. She fought against their grasp while crying out to her parents.

_“Mā! Bà! Help me!”_

Her frantic cries tore at Minnie’s heartstrings. She sounded so scared, so terrified of the situation… and yet, no one could hear them. No one was there to save them.

_T-This can’t be! They’re cops!_ A part of her tried to reason. _Why are they doing this? Who can we trust now?_

_“Yixing! Save her!”_ Victoria shouted. The cameraman filming them panned to her being sharply tugged by a masked man gripping her hair, and she let out a pained yelp before stumbling back to the ground. Her yellow sundress was ruined, smeared in both dirt and blood from the open gash on her shoulder.

She barely had the chance to look up when another man stepped in front of her, baseball bat in hand, and struck her hard on the head. A sickening crack was heard as the force from the blow fractured her skull, and her body lurched to the side. Falling to the forest floor as blood poured down the side of her face.

She wasn’t moving.

Yuqi burst into tears at the sight of her lifeless mother. _“Mā!”_

_“Vic! No!”_ The camera shifted to a battered Yixing, heartbroken and enraged by his wife’s death. His eyes widened as he saw the man approaching Yuqi, restrained with her arms behind her back and her face blotched red from crying. _“Let go of my daughter, you fucking—!”_

He was abruptly cut off by a knife stabbed into his throat, the serrated blade twisting deeper inside while he choked on his own blood. Crimson threads spilled from his sputtering mouth as he gasped uselessly for air, and his knees buckled completely under him before he collapsed to the ground.

_“Bàba!”_

Minnie shut the device right after. She couldn’t bear to watch the rest anymore.

“I’ve seen enough!” She shouted, her voice cracking as she gave it back to Yuqi with trembling hands. She was so shaken up by what she had just seen—that she nearly missed the way Yuqi’s lips quivered slightly, how the light in her amber eyes almost died out as she struggled to keep up her happy façade. Even as they clouded over with the start of fresh tears.

Yet, her smile remained. “I only managed to survive because Lucas jumped in time to stop him.”

She laughed, but it was empty and void of any real feelings.

“He and Kris were the last ones alive, but they sacrificed themselves so I could escape. I remember running for my life, crying out to my dead parents… then I fell down. Hit my head and woke up a few hours later. All alone with little to no memory of where I am, who I am, or what became of everyone else. I managed to find my way back to that same spot, but the men disappeared and so did the bodies. That’s when I discovered the camcorder. Everything came rushing back again… though, I wish the same could be said for my family.”

Minnie’s heart ached for the distraught girl, who couldn’t even meet her gaze.

“Yuqi…”

“I’m no saint, and I’m probably not any better than those guys… but you see where I’m coming from?” Yuqi whispered, stowing away the camcorder in a tiny cabinet. “That’s why I need your help. We can’t let them continue doing this to more people.”

She took a deep breath before looking back at Minnie, the despair in her eyes now gone and replaced with vengeful determination. It surprised the quiet cop.

_Is this still the same Yuqi that happily admitted to murdering someone earlier?_

“This isn’t just about revenge, Nini. It’s also about keeping the citizens safe from these sick bastards.” Yuqi stepped forward to take Minnie’s hands into her colder pairs and held them tightly as they stared at each other. “So, are you with me or not?”

She studied the girl carefully, searching for any sign of deceit or madness in those pools of amber. None.

“Where do we start?”

And, like a flip of a switch, Yuqi’s entire demeanor changed. Her face lit up as she grinned widely. “That’s the spirit~!”

Minnie blanched. Less than five seconds ago, Yuqi was unnaturally serious and mature. Even speaking to her like a normal person would (if you looked past the whole _‘revenge’_ talk). Then, it was as if she had a personality swap and her playful side returned. Jumping into the spotlight and kicking out the previous one off its stage.

The enigma that is Song _fucking_ Yuqi made her head spin.

_Has she lost her marbles, or what?!_

“First things first, I need you to get a copy of every single application in your department. I don’t care if they’re working as janitors or receptionists. You never know who else is participating in the grand scheme of things.”

Without warning, Yuqi wrapped an arm around Minnie’s neck and pulled her close. Too close for comfort, actually. Does she not understand that this is an invasion of personal space?

“Hey, watch it—”

Yuqi, of course, disregarded her attempts at putting distance between them, much to the shorter cop’s chagrin.

“We’ll then sort them out, so we don’t harm the innocent mice while catching the filthy rats.” She continued to explain, even when Minnie was trying to escape her side-hug. Well, not really a hug. More like an unintentional chokehold because the dumb giant was dragging her along as they walked towards the door.

Why did Yuqi have to be so tall?

(More accurately, why was Minnie given the shorter end of the stick? Literally _and_ figuratively.)

“I only need your full cooperation, sweetheart. We can put an end to these killing shenanigans together. Just listen to everything I say and you won’t get killed!”

Yuqi finally concluded her _ingenious_ and _oh, so elaborate_ plan there, glancing down at the grumpy Minnie with a confident smile. “It’s an easy task, my little mouse. No need to worry about the rest ‘cuz that’s mine to finish.”

All of a sudden, she planted a chaste kiss on the side of Minnie’s head before expertly dodging the fist thrown her way. For a giant, she sure has fast reflexes (sort of like a certain, blonde-haired midget).

“Gross!” The agitated cop rubbed at the area where those soft, but disgusting lips touched her. “What the Hell was that?!”

She could feel another headache coming in at the look of satisfaction across Yuqi’s smug face. This girl better have some aspirin lying around, or else it’s a bedside lamp to her head in the next few seconds.

“A kiss.” Yuqi stated the fucking obvious. “It’s how I say thank you.”

She proceeded to kiss her again, but Minnie expected such and blocked the offending lips with a hand. The blatant rejection caused Yuqi to whine.

“Aw, sweetheart~! Don’t you want my affections?” She asked with a pout. If it weren’t for her acting like a total greaseball (and the fact that she’s screwed in the head), Minnie would’ve considered her childish antics to be quite cute.

Not that she’d tell Yuqi, obviously.

“Keep your disease to yourself.” Minnie hissed as she pushed her face away. “And quit fooling around! You witnessed your entire family getting killed, yet you’re still smiling and pretending like nothing happened!”

Yuqi tilted her head at the cop’s obvious frustration, but nonchalantly shrugged as if it didn’t concern her.

“I’m just holding it all back, y’know? I am aware of many emotions, but I don’t know how they exactly _feel_ —or maybe a part of me does.” Her eyes gleamed mischievously. “Would you rather have me down in the dumps instead of being happy? To bring out the rage I’ve been bottling up with a smile?”

A cold hand cupped the back of Minnie’s dainty neck as she shivered beneath the long, nimble fingers curling around it. Wary browns darted to malignant ambers, and she stiffened at the dilated pupils that were barely visible under the room’s subtle lighting.

If she wants their dynamic to work smoothly, she has to be patient in dealing with these turbulent mood swings.

_First step: Pacify Yuqi._

She mustered up her courage and looked Yuqi dead in the eye. “No, I’m not asking you to do any of those. But if we’re working together, that means you have to behave properly. I can’t feel safe around someone who’s like a walking time bomb.”

Minnie reached up to place her palm gently on the taller girl’s forehead, her smaller fingers splayed over it as if she was sending a demon spawn back to Hell (or bring back a speck of her rationality) as she kept their gazes locked.

“Promise me you’ll learn to control yourself, and you have my trust. Okay?”

The action somehow eased the pressure around her neck as the hand slowly removed itself. Along with the creeping hostility in those dark ambers that blinked a couple times while she waited for Yuqi to regain her composure.

“Okay, sweetheart.”

Minnie breathed a sigh of relief. There’s the annoying flirt she’s familiar with.

Once she was sure that the girl had returned to her usual self, the cop withdrew her hand (to Yuqi’s dismay) and asked one last question: “What will you do about the rats?”

“The same thing they did to my family.”

Yuqi winked, her eyes flitting to the wardrobe across the room before returning to Minnie’s appalled face. “The satisfaction in getting rid of them will soon have you realizing that it’s much more fun to just chop them into bits.”

She felt nauseous.

_Second step: Stand your ground. Even if she scares you._

“I won’t let you kill anyone.” She glared up at the murderous giant while clenching her fists tightly. “I’m still a cop whose job is to protect lives. We’ll think of something else, but I don’t want you justifying murder with murder! Using one evil against another doesn’t make it good!”

The cop was already fuming by this point, but it seemed like Yuqi had a death wish from the moment she leaned down and pecked her forehead.

Minnie reeled back with a screech. “Will you please stop doing that?!”

She tried to punch Yuqi again, but ultimately failed when the girl side-stepped. _Quit moving, you damn oversized, loony-ass bitch—_

“Alright, fine. Since you asked so nicely.” Yuqi grinned impudently, opting to pat her angry little mouse since she looked so adorable with her cheeks flared. Doesn’t matter if she bites either because it’s a guaranteed check on her list.

Speaking of _biting._

“With your stubbornness issue and flaming aggression—”

“I am not stubborn!” Okay, then. Aggressive.

“—I doubt someone can squeeze these infos outta you. However…” She seized the cop’s wrist, yanking her close until they were at face level. Minnie yelped as she stumbled forward and almost crashed into the girl.

“If I find out that you betrayed me, I will personally skin you alive and clean every sliver of meat from your bones. Are we clear?”

The finality in her eyes drove Minnie into agreeing, albeit with trepidation. “Y-Yeah. Crystal clear.”

_Third step: Never provoke her._

Upon being released, she winced slightly at the indents of blunt fingernails showing faintly on her skin. Yuqi noticed them and clicked her tongue in obvious displeasure.

“Guess I got carried away there. Sorry, sweetheart.” Like she didn’t just issue a brutal death threat literally seconds ago, she opened the door and gestured for Minnie to go out first. “I’ll make it up to you with a nice breakfast. How does French toast sound?”

The loud grumble of her stomach was enough of an answer.

“Wipe that smirk off your face before I smack it myself.”

“With your lips?”

“Shut up, Yuqi.”

“Only if you kiss me.”

The sound of boisterous laughter and a glass paperweight shattering against the wall echoed through the hallway as Yuqi ran for her life. Narrowly escaping the wrath of a furious Minnie chasing after her.

_Fourth step: When she’s back to normal, try not to kill her yourself._


	5. Not Your Typical Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Listen, Yuqi. I get it. Those men killed your family and you want revenge. You’re angry, hurt, and resentful. But that’s no excuse to hurt people!” She rebuked, harshly. “Don’t be the monster you say they are!”
> 
> Minnie hoped that her words knocked some sense into that messed-up brain of hers. Unfortunately, Yuqi just laughed as if she said something so preposterous and redundant.
> 
> “I will never become those pathetic rats.” She said with her voice low and even, yet cold and sharp like the edge of a knife. “I’ll be better than them. I’ll be the kind of monster they will all fear."

* * *

**Time: 10:14:39 AM**

**[Location Unknown]; Seoul, South Korea**

* * *

After giving Yuqi a taste of her own medicine by successfully smacking her on the head (probably a mistake, considering she already has mental issues), Minnie was informed that she could wash-up in the bathroom upstairs while the girl prepared their meal. No way would she turn down the prospect of a well-deserved bath.

Oddly enough, the cabin still had running water despite being previously abandoned. For reasons not explicitly disclosed by Yuqi, she managed to “pull a few strings” and kept electricity and water supplied to the place. Exhausted from everything that has been unpacked in the early hours of the morning, Minnie chose not to read into those words and simply hopped in the bath—but not before getting rid of the cruddy uniform sticking to her skin.

Call her the worst cop to exist, but frankly, she doesn’t care at this point.

As Minnie soaked her aching body in the deliciously warm water, she let out a delighted sigh and relaxed her tense muscles while working out the kinks in both her neck and shoulders.

“Oh, yeah…” She sunk lower into the tub with closed eyes like she was ready to fall asleep then and there. “That’s _so_ much better…”

It took about ten minutes of careful scrubbing to clean away all the dirt, blood, and grime off her hair and body. Making use of the very scarce bathing supplies found on a sticky rack attached to the wall, which had only a tiny bar of soap, some vanilla-scented shampoo, half a tube of facial wash, and an almost empty bottle of conditioner.

_Come to think of it… how was she able to make it this far alone?_

Perhaps that’s a question she’ll get an answer to during breakfast.

Just as Minnie emerged from the bathroom with a rejuvenated smile on her face, Yuqi had come up to check on her and brought along a fresh set of clothes plus underwear for the cop to change into. She paused by the doorway upon seeing her little mouse, fresh out the bath as indicated by the steam floating behind her and the flimsy towel wrapped around her gorgeously shaped figure.

“Well, _this_ certainly is a welcoming sight.” Yuqi said to no one in particular. Her eyebrows going up as a faint smirk played on her lips.

She leaned against the doorframe and watched amusedly as Minnie, oblivious to the pair of amber eyes watching her in the background, went to the wardrobe in search of clothes. Only to realize at the very last second that there’s a dismembered body kept inside it.

Yuqi clicked her tongue in disappointment. A shame, really. She was hoping to see what her reaction would be like when his limbs start falling out like a sick, gruesome surprise.

_Then again, I’ve scarred her enough already. I don’t want my poor mouse scurrying away with her tail tucked between her legs._

Snapping out of her silent observation, she rapped her knuckles on the door to get Minnie’s attention. The cop jumped at the sound and sharply craned her head to where she found Yuqi, idling by the entrance for God knows how long while staring at her.

Minnie’s cheeks heat up considerably. “Have you been standing there the whole time?” She asked. Flustered, but mostly annoyed.

“Yep,” Yuqi made a popping sound for emphasis. “Just enjoying the view~”

If it weren’t for the hand keeping her towel together, Minnie would’ve marched up and smacked that dumb grin off her face. “Pervert.” She grumbled.

The girl winked. “Only to you, sweetheart.”

_God—_ where’s the fucking pepper spray when you need it?!

“Why are you even here? Other than lurking around like some creep?!” She demanded while tightening her grip on the edge of her towel. Why, oh why did it have to be so inconveniently thin?

Yuqi gestured at the clothes she was still carrying in her hands. “Thought you might want these, but judging by your attitude…” She grinned mischievously. “I wouldn’t mind if you didn’t. It’s pretty much a free country, anyway.”

Minnie closed her eyes, took a deep breath and counted to ten, before releasing her frustrations in a single groan.

“Yeah, no. Not a million years.” She deadpanned. “May I have the clothes now? _Please?”_

Yuqi (this pervert giant) pouted, but did eventually hand them over without complaint. “Whelp, I tried.” She shrugged, though smiled right after as she turned to take her leave. “There’s food waiting for you downstairs, by the way. Feel free to join me once you’re done.”

The suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows made Minnie all the more eager to kick her out of the room. Jesus, can’t a girl change in peace?!

“Alright, thanks.” She replied half-heartedly, pushing the nearly six-foot tall headache towards the door and into the hallway. “Be there in five. See ya.”

With that, Minnie shut the door behind her. Locking it, and then triple-checking it just in case Yuqi ever tries to peep on her as she’s changing.

_Crazy, murderous, and a pervert_. She thought begrudgingly. _Three-in-one-package deal. Great._

* * *

When Minnie made it downstairs, she was hit with the mouth-watering aroma of cinnamon, toast, and melted butter wafting in the air. Following the delectable scent into the kitchen, she saw Yuqi humming away over a small electric stove while simultaneously cooking two different things in separate pans. Crammed against the wall was a foldable table set already arranged with two paper plates holding French toast, paper cups filled with orange juice, and plastic utensils lying atop disposable napkins.

“Hey, I’m here.” Minnie informed the girl as soon as she came in.

Yuqi glanced over her shoulder and almost sent a breakfast sausage flying off her pan. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise.

“Wow, sweetheart. You look…”

She paused there, at a loss for words. The cop, however, sent her an icy glare in response. Not that Yuqi would’ve noticed it since her mind was busy processing the sight before her.

Minnie was clad in one of her extra sweatshirts that seemed far too big on the shoulders, reaching down as far as her thighs and hanging just above her knees. Her legs were… more or less exposed. Mainly because Yuqi didn’t have any spare pants left (the ones she’s currently wearing are a week old at best), so she gave her a pair of loose-fitting pajama shorts instead.

Damn.

Her little mouse looked so… _cute._

So soft and huggable, so small and vulnerable…

_It would be so easy for her to get crushed beneath the wrong claws._

Her grip on the spatula tightened as her face twitched with the impulse to frown, though she quickly composed herself and forced her smile to remain intact. Yuqi couldn’t submit to her urges, not now. Not when she had promised Minnie that she would control herself and behave.

But, you can never truly tame a dragon.

“If it’s another bad pick-up line or greasy remark, I don’t wanna hear it.” Minnie’s stern voice pulled Yuqi out from her musings, and she immediately switched back into character.

“Nini!” She exclaimed while dramatically placing a hand over her chest. “How else will I express my undying love and affections for you?”

Minnie shot her an unimpressed look as she plopped down on one of the benches. “Keeping them to yourself is appreciated.”

Yuqi feigned a sad expression. “You hurt me, sweetheart.”

“That was the point.”

“Mean.”

As she finished up the rest of her cooking, she told Minnie to go ahead and eat while the food was still warm. Her unusual act of hospitality confused the cop, who didn’t expect her to be so… congenial and accommodating. Based on what she knew, kidnappers aren’t exactly the most welcoming towards their captives—though she can’t exactly label Yuqi as such either. Especially when she’s exhibiting traits and behavioral patterns not commonly seen in those people.

_I’m literally having a normal breakfast with her. No strings attached._ (Pun not intended.)

The dish looked presentable, appetizing, and by no means tampered with. One bite of the delicious toast exploded into a wave of flavor inside her mouth, and Minnie dug in immediately. The texture was crispy, but soft. And the taste was sweet from the syrup, yet mildly spicy from the cinnamon coating it.

Screw her table manners, she’s _famished._

“It’s better if you chew, y’know.”

Yuqi’s teasing voice spoke from across the kitchen, causing Minnie to almost choke on her fork as her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment.

She swiftly chugged down half the contents of her cup before setting it aside and glaring daggers at Yuqi. “I’m hungry, okay? Don’t judge.” She grumbled, stabbing her plastic knife into the bread while muttering. “And besides… it’s pretty good.”

Yuqi grinned. No doubt, pleased with her approval. “That’s the single nicest thing you’ve said to me today.”

“Yeah? Well, don’t get used to it.”

“A girl can still dream.” The giant sighed wistfully.

Minnie rolled her eyes as she ate another bite of her toast. “Maybe you shouldn’t. It’s probably not healthy for you.” She then swallowed the piece before turning her gaze back on Yuqi, who was adding some salt to the scrambled eggs. “So, how are we gonna stop the masked killers?”

Yuqi twisted the dial knob to adjust the flames. “Oh, no. You’re not ready yet. I have to train you first, or else you’ll get hurt.”

There she goes again, undermining Minnie’s capabilities as a police officer of nearly two years in duty. Sure, it’s not anything to brag about—but would it _kill_ Yuqi to acknowledge even a shred of her own experience in the law enforcement field?

“Why do you insinuate that I can’t handle myself out there?” She snapped, clearly irritated by this constant dubiety of her skills. “It feels discouraging, even from you. We can’t have a proper dynamic if you’re always treating me like an underdog!”

As Minnie waited for an answer, Yuqi put down her spatula and walked over to seat herself opposite the cop.

“I didn’t mean to offend you, sweetheart.” She said calmly, crossing her arms on the table. “I trust that you know the basics of self-defense, but they won’t be enough to ensure your survival. Believe me, I’ve been on the brink of death far too many times. Those bastards are ruthless, a force to be reckoned with. They won’t stop until they’ve torn off every last limb from your body.”

Her brows furrowed as she leaned forward.

“I only managed to make it this far because of my wit and ability to improvise and adapt, but that doesn’t mean I’m untouchable. You can outsmart them, but you’re still just one person against an entire army. Which is why I want to help you improve your chances in a fight.”

When their gazes locked, Minnie could see the unwavering seriousness behind those dark amber eyes transfixed on her light brown ones.

The cop fell silent. Rarely did Yuqi ever act this way in front of her, and she came to realize that it’s not something she should take with a grain of salt.

“I see…” Minnie murmured as her eyes drifted down to her plate. Suddenly, she wasn’t hungry anymore. “So, like… you’re gonna train me into becoming a better cop? Is that it?”

A nod.

She sighed in defeat. _I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try._

“Fine, whatever. We didn’t receive a full training from the department anyway. They were focused on hiring more people to help with the investigation since the disappearances grew worse.

Yuqi cocked her head to one side as she smirked. “No wonder I got your wacky friends bleeding so easily.”

Her tone sounded smug and arrogant. Like she was proud of what she did and wanted to brag about it. The blatant impudence angered Minnie, who balled her fists under the table.

“Thanks to you, they’re most likely in hospital beds right now.” She snarled while digging her fingernails into her palm, trying to reign in her temper. “You could’ve talked to us, but no. You prefer to hurt others for your own twisted satisfaction!”

The giant’s smile remained undeterred. “You’re not wrong, sweetheart. Except they aimed their guns at me.” Yuqi propped her head up on an elbow and raised her eyebrow challengingly. “If I asked you to come with me, would you?”

Minnie bit her lip. The answer was obvious.

“N-No…”

She faltered, her rage subsiding (albeit not fully) as she slowly unfurled her fists. Yuqi had a point. None of them would’ve given her the benefit of the doubt after the little “stunt” she pulled. “… But it doesn’t justify you hurting them the way you did!”

Yuqi barked out a laugh. “Hah! You have such a big heart! And yet, such a small brain!”

She then stood up and leaned closer to grasp Minnie’s face between her hands, ignoring the flash of alarm crossing the cop’s features as they made eye-contact. Only this time, the familiar trace of madness found its way back into Yuqi’s amber orbs.

“You’re so nice. Too nice for your own good.” Lithe fingers curled around the sides of her head like the jaws of a Venus flytrap engulfing its prey. “You’ll make an easy target to eliminate.”

Minnie’s breath hitched at the dilated pupils staring her down. Fuck.

_Yuqi is growing unstable again._

Sizing the girl up with resolute eyes, she grabbed her hands firmly and detached them from her face. “Listen, Yuqi. I get it. Those men killed your family and you want revenge. You’re angry, hurt, and resentful. But that’s no excuse to hurt people!” She rebuked, harshly. “Don’t be the monster you say they are!”

Minnie hoped that her words knocked some sense into that messed-up brain of hers. Unfortunately, Yuqi just laughed as if she said something so preposterous and redundant.

“I will never become those pathetic rats.” She said with her voice low and even, yet cold and sharp like the edge of a knife. “I’ll be better than them. I’ll be the kind of monster they will all fear. However…”

Her depraved grin morphed back into its usual toothy smile. “You want to spare their disgusting lives—so I’ll kill them elsewhere instead.”

Minnie felt her heart drop. “No! Y-You can’t—!”

Yuqi cut her off by raising a finger to her face. “Miss, please! You need to know how to deal with an infestation! Their minds are blinded by the pleasure of murder, they’re not even considered _human_ anymore!”

The smell of burning food assaulted their nostrils, and they whipped their heads at the misty, white smoke puffing out of the pans. Yuqi had forgotten about them.

“Huh. Were you cooking?” She asked while tilting her head curiously. If the dumb giant didn’t look so genuinely inquisitive, Minnie would’ve assumed that she was trolling her.

Except she’s _not._

“… What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I revised this chapter twice cuz I'm indecisive af >_<)
> 
> ALSO, HI. Sorry for the late update. I've been busy doing make-up work for college, so I haven't had time to keep up with the consistent updates. Can't guarantee that I'll continue doing it atm.
> 
> With this out of the way, I can finally introduce the other characters (hopefully) in the next chapter or two. I know, the pacing of the story is too fking slow and I'm a snail.


End file.
